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Ranks, Titles and Positions In The Mafia
Overview The Italian-American Mafia & the United States Military In many ways, the Italian-American Mafia is very much like the United States Military, and they both have many similarities such as; they are both vast, gigantic and incredibly powerful empires. They are both a force to be reckoned with. They are both powerhouses. They are both extremely influential groups, efficiently organised, intelligent in their own personnel and weaponary, incredibly tough and highly trained. They are both, essentially, untouchable. They're both Superpowers. The U.S. Government even considers the Italian-American Mafia to be an 'organised crime superpower'. Similairities Between the Italian-American Mafia and the U.S. Military You'd be surprised to find just how similiar these two powerful groups are, despite their intentions being quite different. * Organisational Structure and Command Hierarchy; those working for them Their employees, for the lack of a better word, is anybody they choose and who can successfully pass the introductory/training stage into the group. Their roles aren't that disimiliar, however; these are soldiers of their own making, spies, hit squads, hitmen, efficient killers, etc. They all work under one man, though, following his and only his orders. * Weaponry The weapons they use are similiar as well, with the same goal in mind. They use high-tech weapons, guns, knives, bombs. They use outside influences and resources, their assiociates' power, policital contacts, protective armoury, etc. Anything that will get the job done quickly and efficentl * Contacts Much like the U.S. Military, the U.S. Government contacts the Italian-American mafia concerning certain political problems and terrorist problems, and problems with other evil dictators from other Countries. Their connections with the U.S. Goverment is connected in their help against other countries, helping solve American problems and political problems. * Training/Introductory Period The amount of time that it takes to get into both the U.S. army and the Italian-American mafia is quite long. However, this is to ensure they only get the best of the very best out of their soldiers; the ones who'll do their job, no questions asked and no hestiation made. Their training is made quite hard and vigorious for that very reason. * The Bosses Both have leaders the soldiers work for, from whom they collect their orders and follow. These bosses rule and dicate the entire thing. The Itlain-American Mafia has a board of directors which govern their own empire, which is called the Commission; whereas, the U.S. Military has a board of directors called the Military Intelligence Board. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), for more than 50 years, the Italian-American Mafia was just as powerful, efficient and dangerous as the U.S. Military. Becoming a Member It can take many years to become a member in the mafia, a 'Made Man' (a fully initiated member in the Italian-American Mafia also known as La Cosa Nostra). In order to become a member of the mafia however, you must; * Personally commit a murder (or in some cases, a dozen or so murders), just to prove you wil go above and beyond for La Cosa Nostra. This will also prove your loyalty and your ability to follow orders, regardless of your own feelings. * Be at least half-Italian. * Mentally and physically strong, fearless, smart, influential, able to do anything that's asked of you, efficient, competent, capable, and persuasive. Being street smart also has it's perks, as the crime will often happen in less-than-favourable places. * Be completely and totally loyal to La Cosa Nostra only; dependable and reliable, as well as honourable and respectful towards the Bosses and your fellow 'Brothers'. * Treat your fellow members as your own brothers, love them wholly and treat them with respect. * Always be a servant to your boss, obeying him without question nor hesitation and protecting him and your fellow 'brothers' above all else. * Have knowledge concerning fighting and weapons; you must be able to defend yourself and your 'brothers' if needed. You must also be willing to learn more on this subject everyday for many years, enhancing your knowledge. * Be ready to go to war for the Boss, the Mafia itself. * Have a willingness to protect and help your boss and your fellow members, and this must also include; * Killing for them and/or their family. * Helping them and/or their family, financially. . * Keeping them and/or their family safe. * Helping them deal with law enforcement, money, weapons, or offering them a place to stay. * Helping them get acquitted if they are in any trials, such as bribing the judge, or intimidating jurors or the prosecutor. * Most members are also sponsored by two high-ranking 'Made' members within the Italian-American Mafia. Initiation Ceremony To officially become a member, you must first go through an Initation Ceremony. This means you will pledge an oath to the mafia's code of silence, which is called Omerta; this means you are putting the Mafia above even God and your own family, and that you will do anything your boss orders you to do. This pledge ensure you cannot get out once it's made; you're in that Mafia for life. The only way out is death. It also ensures that if you ever get cauht by law enforcement, you will not say anything to do, concerning the Mafia and the members. Breaking this pledge - and the Mafia's code of silence - ensures a quick death sentence to you (and sometimes your family). Now, with the ritual done, you can be welcomed into the new 'family. From this point onwards, you're an official 'Made Man' (also, 'Made Guy', 'Goodfella', 'Mafioso', etc.), and this ensures you're now considered untouchable, a member of the Mafia - to be protected as such. If anybody were to lay a harmful hand on a member of the Italian-American Mafia without permission from the Commission, the Mafia will ensure that, that person is to be killed a slow, brutal death. In some cases, the harmful person's family will also be murdered as well; sometimes, it's used as a warning. If you have a problem with someone outside of the Mafia, you can go to the men above you to seek guidance and protection. In return for this support, you must agree to giving over a certain percentage of your criminal earnings to these higher-ranking members. Titles, Ranks And Positions Associates Associates are not actual members of the Mafia, but they work for the Mafia. Rather anyone who teams up with them on a criminal enterprise of some kind. They could be someone who does business with the Mafia, and someone who is a Hitman for the mafia, and commit crimes on behalf of the mafia including murder, assault, arson, assassinations, drive-by shooting, contract killing, witness intimidation, jury intimidation, killing jurors, Car bombing, and bombing buildings and houses, and other violent and organized crime activities etc. There are also the Italian newcomers who have yet to be made, called cugines, and they play a minor role in the operation of the Mafia. Associates can never turn down an order from the Mafia. If the Mafia gives them an order they have to follow it no matter what it is, and they are on call to serve the Mafia 24 hours every day. they are also fair game on the streets, they are not protected by the organization, unless they are very important and valuable to the Mafia. Anybody can be an associate in the mafia, however only Italians and Sicilians can be made. There has been very few associates in the past that wasn't of Italian descent that became made men, but it is very rare for a non-Italian to be inducted as a made man in the Mafia. Soldiers The lowest-ranking members of the hierarchy of the Mafia are the soldiers, the grunts of the organization who do the majority of the work for the mafia, such as, making deliveries, picking up cash, committing murder, assault, bombing, arson, assassinations, drive-by shootings, witness intimidation, bribing Police, Politicians, Government Officials, and Federal Agents for the Italian-American Mafia, and generally sticking out their neck in the hope of making a name for themselves by demonstrating their loyalty to the organization, and protecting the organization at all costs. Children as young as sixteen have been admitted. Caporegimes The capo, or caporegime, is the captain or lieutenant of a division within the Mafia. The Captains heads a large crew of anywhere from 20-3,000 soldiers, and can order them to do anything, such as enforcement work, committing murder, assault, bombing, arson, assassinations, drive-by shootings, witness intimidation, jury intimidation, picking up cash, making deliveries, and other violent criminal activities. The captains reports directly to their boss or underboss, who hands down the instructions. He ranks much higher in the hierarchy of the Mafia. He is also in charge of handling most money. Consigliere The consigliere, or chief advisor, is the Bosses right-hand man, and the administration to the crime family. The Consigliere is not officially part of the hierarchy of the Mafia, but he plays one of the most important roles in a crime family. He is the close trusted friend and confidant of the mafia family boss. The function of the consigliere is a throwback to medieval times, when a monarch placed his trust in an advisor whom he could summon for strategic information and sound advice. The consigliere is meant to offer unbiased information based on what he sees as best for the family. He’s not supposed to factor emotional concerns, such as retaliation and blood feuds, into his decisions. Unlike the underboss (see below), the consigliere is not required to be a direct relative of the boss. Instead, he is chosen solely for his abilities and the amount of knowledge and intelligence he possesses. Generally, only the boss and underboss have more authority than the consigliere in a mafia crime family. Underboss The underboss, or capo bastone, is second-in-command in the hierarchy of the Mafia crime family. His level of authority varies from family to family, but he is ready to stand in for the boss at any given moment. In the violent, brutal, ruthless, deadly, dangerous and volatile world of the Italian-American Mafia, the underboss can easily find himself at the helm of the family so, for the most part, they are usually groomed for an eventual takeover, particularly if the boss’s health is failing or if it looks like he’s headed for a long sentence in prison. A family may have two underbosses. An example of this was boss Carlo Gambino, who had Paul "Big Paul" Castellano and Aniello "Mr. Neil" Dellacroce as underboss at the same time. However, one underboss is far more common. Boss The Boss, the Don, or capo famiglia, is head of the entire organization, the boss is a dictator and has the power to order anyone to do anything in the organization. The Boss makes all the important decisions, much like a CEO of a company would. Although each mob boss may run his crime family in a very different way, they have one thing in common: they are greatly respected and extremely feared by their subordinates, and they all have enormous power and influence over all of their soldiers and subordinates. All of the men in his crime family pay him a tribute, so the Boss is usually an extremely rich man. Most bosses of the Italian-American Mafia are Billionaires or Multi-Billionaires. The Bosses are virtually invincible and untouchable. All bosses are incredibly powerful, influential, successful, extremely ruthless, extremely dangerous and widely feared. More commonly, the word "Don" may proceed his first or last name. Godfather Godfather also known as (The Boss of all Bosses) or (The King) It is a phrase used mainly by the media, public and the law enforcement community to indicate a supremely powerful crime boss in the Sicilian or American Mafia who holds great influence over the whole empire. The Godfather is the emperor over the entire mafia empire. The Godfather is also the Boss of all the mafia bosses in the United States. The title was introduced to the U.S. public by the Kefauver Commission (1950). It has seldom been given to specific bosses because it could create tension between different factions (otherwise known as families) within the Mafia. Typically the title is awarded de facto to the boss of the most powerful Mafia family. The Gambino Crime Family is the most powerful crime family in the United States. The official Godfather's of the entire mafia empire in the United States was Lucky Luciano, (1931-1946) Luciano was the first official Godfather in the Italian-American Mafia. 2nd official Godfather was Genovese Crime Family Boss Frank Costello, (1946-1957) 3rd official Godfather was Genovese Crime Family Boss Vito Genovese, (1957-1959) 4th official Godfather was Bonanno Crime Family Boss Joseph Bonanno, (1959-1962) 5th official Godfather was Gambino Crime Family Boss Carlo Gambino, (1962-1976) 6th official Godfather was Gambino Crime Family Boss Paul Castellano, (1976-1985) 7th official Godfather was Gambino Crime Family Boss John Gotti, (1985-1992) 8th official Godfather was Genovese Crime Family Boss Vincent Gigante, (1992-1997) After the fall of Gigante the Godfather status shortly went out of date until 2000 9th official Godfather was Bonanno Crime Family Boss Joseph Massino, (2000-2004)